Safe Routes to School E-News
Issue #30: June 2008
Safe Routes to School E-News is a monthly email newsletter published by the Safe Routes to School National Partnership, a growing national network of more than 300 non-profit organizations, government agencies, and professional groups that are working to set goals, share best practices, secure funding, and provide detailed policy input to implementing agencies for advancing the Safe Routes to School national movement.
Please forward Safe Routes to School E-News to others who may be interested!
To receive future issues of E-News, email info@saferoutespartnership.org.
In this issue:
1. SRTS Serves As a Catalyst for Building Partnerships and Leveraging Resources
New report from SRTSNP prepared for CDC profiles four communities
2. SRTSNP Welcomes New National Partners
Click here to join the Partnership today! It’s free.
3. Pro Walk/Pro Bike 2008 is September 2-5 in Seattle
Register today at http://www.bikewalk.org/2008conference/register.html
4. Searching for a Host of the 2nd SRTS National Conference
Proposals are due July 1
5. Safe Routes to School State Network Project Update
Annual Meeting a Success, Local School Projects get rolling
6. 8th Annual New Partners for Smart Growth Conference
January 22-24, 2009 in Albuquerque, New Mexico
7. New Mexico Awards Nine Communities with SRTS Funding
SRTS is expanding throughout the state through collaboration
8. Massachusetts SRTS Program Includes Education and Infrastructure
130 schools in 53 communities currently being served
9. Freiker Kids Make 28,000 Round Trips to School By Bike in Boulder
Seeking to bring program to 10 additional schools across the nation
10. SRTS News Throughout the Country
Local and state SRTS program news links
1. SRTS Serves As a Catalyst for Building Partnerships and Leveraging Resources
New report from SRTSNP prepared for CDC profiles four communities
In June, the Safe Routes to School National Partnership released a report that was prepared for the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention showing how Safe Routes to School programs are serving as a catalyst for building community partnerships and leveraging additional resources. The report includes case studies from Avondale, AZ; Bozeman, MT; Knoxville, TN; and Miami, FL.
The $612 million that the federal government allocated for SRTS in August 2005 through SAFETEA-LU is proving to leverage additional resources in the form of staff time from existing city, county and school personnel, as well as in-kind services and donations from non-profit and civic organizations. The program is also inspiring local governments and community organizations to dedicate discretionary funds toward SRTS projects from local, state and federal sources.
Safe Routes to School is an effective federal program that fosters unique agency collaborations and generates strong community volunteerism and support. By bringing people together from diverse perspectives, SRTS is leveraging additional resources to develop built environment, planning and policy changes that are improving community health and safety. Click here to view the complete report.
2. SRTSNP Welcomes New National Partners
Click here to join the Partnership today! It’s free.
The Partnership welcomes the following new national partners: American Cancer Society Action Network, Campaign to End Obesity, and National Association of Chronic Disease Directors. We also welcome our new state and local partners, and look forward to working with all partners to advance Safe Routes to School nationwide.
The Partnership is working to ensure that the $612 million in Safe Routes to School federal dollars are spent, and on good projects. We are also leveraging additional resources for Safe Routes to School, developing State Networks to foster policy changes, educating policy makers, and leading the charge to create a culture that encourages safe bicycling and walking to and from schools throughout the nation. We greatly appreciate our partners’ help in changing the habits of an entire generation.
Organizations joining the partnership commit to abide by the Memorandum of Understanding and support SRTS efforts. More than 300 groups have pledged their support for the Partnership by signing the MOU. Join our growing list of supporting organizations and become a partner affiliate today! It’s free.
3. Pro Walk/Pro Bike 2008 is September 2-5 in Seattle
Register today at http://www.bikewalk.org/2008conference/register.html
Join with hundreds of bicycle and pedestrian advocates, elected and appointed officials, bike/ped specialists, transportation experts, land-use planners, Safe Routes to School coordinators, public health practitioners, and many more who want to make our cities and communities more walkable and bicycle-friendly places. The Pro Walk/Pro Bike Conference is heading back to the Pacific Northwest in 2008 for the 15th Biennial International Symposium on Bicycling & Walking. The Westin Seattle will be the headquarters for the September 2-5, 2008 event. Register on or before August 1, 2008 to receive the discounted early registration rate. You’ll have ample opportunities to get out and see first-hand examples of the facilities and programs that are making Seattle and the Puget Sound models for the roles bicycling and walking can play in our 21st century communities. For those who hold AICP certifications, it is possible to earn 48 certification management (CM) credit hours for a number of
presentations and mobile workshops.
In addition, the Safe Routes to School National Partnership is holding its free Annual Meeting on Tuesday, September 2, 2008 from 10am-5pm in conjunction with the Pro Walk/Pro Bike Conference. Click here to register today.
The National Partnership’s Annual Meeting will be broken into two segments. The morning session will include a summary of the Partnership’s achievements over the previous year, and a choice of breakout sessions. After a break for lunch on your own in Seattle, the afternoon segment will include an overview of the next transportation bill that will succeed SAFETEA-LU, and a time-period for questions and answers. There will then be a discussion and interactive sessions regarding the importance of working with Congressional members to plan field visits and to hear from constituents and to see Safe Routes to School projects in action. The afternoon session will include role-plays, breakout groups, and an opportunity to begin planning for your District meetings with Congressional members.
4. Searching for a Host of the 2nd SRTS National Conference
Proposals are due July 1
The National Center for Safe Routes to School and the Safe Routes to School National Partnership are now seeking proposals from potential host agencies to organize the 2nd Safe Routes to School National Conference which would take place during the summer or autumn of 2009. The deadline for proposal submissions is July 1, 2008. To download the complete request, please visit http://www.saferoutesinfo.org/conference/RFP.cfm.
The Safe Routes to School National Conference provides an opportunity for individuals and organizations interested and involved with Safe Routes to School to network, engage in educational opportunities and form partnerships to enhance their Safe Routes to School work. The intent of the request is to identify and select an experienced organization that will be responsible for conference and event support, planning, coordinating, fundraising and implementing all aspects related to a three day national meeting of 300-600 program representatives, state DOTs, planners, elected officials, and community members.
The 1st Safe Routes to School National Conference, held in Dearborn, Michigan, in November 2007, exceeded expectations for registration and is considered to have been a resounding success. For more information on the first conference, please visit http://www.saferoutesmichigan.org/nationalconference.htm.
5. Safe Routes to School State Network Project Update
Annual Meeting a Success, Local School Projects get rolling
On May 14th-15th our ten State Network Organizers convened in Minneapolis, Minnesota in conjunction with their Department of Transportation Safe Routes to School State Coordinators. Highlights from the meeting include Network Organizers sharing success stories and challenges, planning educational outreach to elected officials and other leaders in each state, and scheduling a series of policy trainings led by national experts for our Organizers to delve deeper into issues such as school siting and complete streets. Highlights of the State Coordinators session include a discussion of federal funding implementation issues and solutions, and sharing Network accomplishments and lessons learned.
For more information on activities in each of the 10 Network states, click here.
The National Partnership is also facilitating a 20 month SRTS Local School Project at an elementary or middle school in each of our ten Network Project states. Schools were selected using various criteria, including the percentage of low-income students and the number of students living within two miles of the school. Along with getting program approval from school districts and cities, we have been developing SRTS School Teams and conducting Parent Surveys. This fall we will conduct Student Tallies and begin to implement program activities such as Walk and Bike to School Day, bicycle and pedestrian safety education classes, and engineering walkabouts. As part of the project, we will work with the local sites to apply for federal SRTS funds and to make their program sustainable. For a complete list of schools participating in the Local School Project, click here.
For more information, or to join one of the SRTS State Networks, contact Robert Ping, State Network Manager.
6. 8th Annual New Partners for Smart Growth Conference
January 22-24, 2009 in Albuquerque, New Mexico
The New Partners for Smart Growth Conference has grown significantly since it began several years ago - increasing in scope, attendance, and prestige - and is now considered to be the "premier" smart growth conference held each year. The strength of this conference comes from the variety of participants and speakers who cross disciplines to share experiences and insights, and valuable tools and strategies to encourage smart growth implementation and "get it done."
The program will span three full days. There will be some pre-conference tours scheduled for Wednesday, January 21st, but the main program will kick-off on Thursday morning, January 22nd continue through Saturday afternoon. The three-day schedule includes a dynamic mix of plenaries, breakouts, implementation workshops, specialized trainings, peer-to-peer learning opportunities, and coordinated networking activities. It will also feature exciting tours of local projects in the Albuquerque, Santa Fe, and Taos areas, and many other interesting case studies from throughout the region. There will be something for everybody, from veteran experts to smart-growth novices, with over 100 sessions and workshops. Learn from hundreds of speakers who cross disciplines to share insights, valuable tools and strategies for making smart growth a success in your community.
Visit www.NewPartners.org to get more conference details and to register for the conference! The SRTS National Partnership is a co-sponsor of this event.
7. New Mexico Awards Nine Communities with SRTS Funding
SRTS is expanding throughout the state through collaboration
On March 17, 2008, the NMDOT awarded federal SRTS funds to nine communities around NM. Ten communities received Phase 1 awards of $15,000 each to develop SRTS Action Plans and two of those communities also received Phase 2 funds for infrastructure projects, including a pedestrian bridge and bike racks. These communities join five other communities currently working on SRTS Action Plans.
The SRTS movement is expanding in New Mexico thanks to various partnerships around the state. On April 24, the “Healthy Las Cruces, Healthy Kids” obesity prevention pilot project kicked off in Las Cruces with a walk to school event at Conlee Elementary School. This project is funded by a $100,000 grant from the National Governors Association Center and SRTS is a major component of the program, thanks to collaborative efforts between the NMDOT, New Mexico Department of Health and the Las Cruces Metropolitan Planning Organization. This is just one example of the partnerships developing in New Mexico around the SRTS program.
The New Mexico SRTS Coordinator is also working with Community Partners and the University of New Mexico Health Sciences Center to finalize a SRTS handbook for the New Mexico program that will help communities develop SRTS Action Plans. In an effort to assist communities with developing their Plan, the new Assistant Coordinator will work with funded communities this summer on conducting route audits and identifying engineering solutions. Additionally, the second round of New Mexico SRTS trainings will be held this fall.
For more information on New Mexico’s SRTS program, please visit www.nmsaferoutes.com or contact Jessica Frost, New Mexico’s SRTS Coordinator.
8. Massachusetts SRTS Program Includes Education and Infrastructure
130 schools in 53 communities currently being served
The Massachusetts Safe Routes to School program is managed by the Executive Office of Transportation (EOT). Following a successful pilot program, an expanded program was established in 2005 through MassRIDES, the Commonwealth’s travel options program. MassRIDES is collaborating with 130 schools in 53 communities throughout the Commonwealth.
MassRIDES offers schools technical assistance designing, implementing, marketing, and evaluating initiatives tailored to each school’s needs and priorities. The Massachusetts Safe Routes to School program’s annual budget for educational, encouragement, and enforcement program activities is $400,000. Schools collaborating with MassRIDES receive program services and resources that include:
• Technical assistance
• Customized program design and implementation
• No-cost pedestrian and bicycle safety trainings
• Educational materials and programs
• Student incentives and rewards
The Massachusetts Safe Routes to School infrastructure component will use $1.3 million this year to make operational and physical improvements to the roads and walkways surrounding schools. An on-call team of engineers, planners, and pedestrian/bicycle experts will assess, plan, design, and construct these improvements. Schools collaborating with MassRIDES become eligible for infrastructure improvements.
For more information on the Massachusetts SRTS program, please contact SRTS Coordinator Davida Eisenberg, or visit the Massachusetts SRTS website.
9. Freiker Kids Make 28,000 Round Trips to School By Bike in Boulder
Seeking to bring program to 10 additional schools across the nation
Freiker, an incentive-based cycling and walking encouragement program, is coming off its most successful school year ever. Throughout the past school year, participants at five schools in Boulder, Colorado made over 27,000 round trips to school by bicycle. In early April, Freiker had its most successful launch, and added walking to the program for the first time, at Burlington Elementary in Longmont, Colorado. In less than two months, Burlington kids racked up 1,000 round trips by bike and by foot.
The Freiker program (FREquent - bIKER) uses innovative technology to count the number of days a child rides or walks to school. Participants then trade in accumulated rides for prizes. Freiker gave out more than 80 iPods to children who rode or walked more than 90% of the school days. Learn more at www.freiker.org.
Freiker is currently operating at seven schools with help from sponsors and a local SRTS grant. For the fall of 2008, Freiker is seeking to bring the program to 10 additional schools across the nation. The cost of the program per school, including prizes, is approximately $7,000 to $10,000. Interested schools should contact gears@freiker.org.
10. SRTS News Throughout the Country
Local and state SRTS program news links
Safe Routes to School news around the country keeps growing! Updated regularly, see our new SRTS in the News media center for the latest in local, state, and national SRTS news.
Help Grow the Partnership!
Joining the Partnership is free. Please encourage other organizations, schools, businesses, and government agencies to join the Safe Routes to School National Partnership.
Funding for the Safe Routes to School National Partnership has been generously provided by the Bikes Belong Coalition, the Robert Wood Johnson Foundation, Kaiser Permanente, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, the Harvest Foundation, and partner affiliates.
For more information, contact:
Deb Hubsmith, Director
Safe Routes to School National Partnership
deb@saferoutespartnership.org
www.saferoutespartnership.org
(415) 454-7430